Mytrag.com – The U.S. has expanded sanctions on Iran’s oil and gas sectors following a ballistic missile attack on Israel, aiming to cut off funding for Tehran’s military and malign activities. The Treasury Department invoked a Trump-era executive order to broaden sanctions, allowing for actions against any entity linked to Iran’s petroleum and petrochemical sectors. This comes amid concerns of Israeli retaliation, as U.S. officials urged Israel to focus on military targets rather than Iran’s energy sector, fearing global economic consequences.
The sanctions now cover 17 ships and 10 entities involved in shipping Iranian oil, primarily to China, which has been a major buyer despite U.S. restrictions. Though the U.S. hopes to deter China from purchasing Iranian oil, analysts remain skeptical due to the deeply illicit payment networks in place. While the sanctions mark an escalation, they are seen as a strategic move to exert economic pressure without triggering a broader conflict.
The decision is part of long-standing U.S. efforts to weaken Iran’s military capacity, including its ballistic missile program and funding of proxy militias such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Despite these efforts, Iran has continued to build its missile arsenal, as demonstrated by the missile barrage on Oct. 1. Meanwhile, Israel’s security cabinet is deliberating its next steps, but no decisions have been finalized on how to respond to the Iranian attack.